Baseball Walks Off vs. Duke For Series Win

Saturday, March 28

Newark, Del.

1:00 PM

Boston College

10-13, 3-7

Duke

20-7, 4-7

Duke

Boston College

Baseball Walks Off vs. Duke For Series Win

March 28, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

March 28, 2015

Box Score | Postgame Interviews

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 6, Duke 3
Records: Boston College (10-13, 3-7 ACC), Duke (19-8, 4-7ACC)
Location: Bob Hannah Stadium in Newark, Del.
Weather: 36 degrees, cloudy, 19 mph winds
Attendance: 224
Time of Game: 3:14

BC Starting Lineup:
1. Jake Palomaki - 2B
2. Joe Cronin - 3B
3. Michael Strem - CF
4. Chris Shaw - RF
5. Donovan Casey - LF
6. Nick Sciortino - C
7. Stephen Sauter - DH
8. Mitch Bigras - 1B
9. Johnny Adams - SS
Starting Pitcher: RHP Mike King

Duke Starting Lineup:
1. Andy Perez - 2B
2. Michael Smickilas - CF
3. Mike Rosenfeld - C
4. Justin Bellinger - 1B
5. Chris Perez - DH
6. Peter Zyla - RF
7. Max Miller - 3B
8. Jalen Phillips - LF
9. Kenny Koplove - SS
Starting Pitcher: RHP Andrew Istler

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Chris Shaw hit a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to give BC the win. It was his second career walk-off hit and his first career walk-off home run.
Freshman Jake Palomaki hit a career-high four hits, going 4-for-5 with a double and two runs.
Junior Joe Cronin singled up the middle in the fifth to reach base safely in the last 10 straight games. He also recorded three sac bunts, a team high for the season. (
Sophomore RHP Mike King pitched 6.2 innings, allowing just four hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts in a no decision.

KEY PLAYS

After giving up a two-run lead in the top of the ninth, the Eagles rallied in the bottom of the ninth to take the series against Duke. Palomaki knocked an infield single and with one down, sophomore Michael Strem drew a walk to bring Shaw up. He blasted his seventh home run of the year to give BC the walk-off win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles scored first for the second time in the series. With one down in the second, sophomore Nick Sciortino doubled to right center and moved to third on a grounder to second. Freshman Mitch Bigras plated him with a sac fly to center.
With one down, Sciortino reached on a two-base throwing error by shortstop Kenny Koplove. Junior Stephen Sauter drove him in with a single through the right side.
The Blue Devils cut the lead to one in the seventh with two down. Peter Zyla singled up the middle and Max Miller drew a walk before the Eagles went to the bullpen. Senior LHP Nick Poore entered the game and gave up a base hit to Jalen Phillips, scoring Zyla and moving Miller to third. Redshirt junior RHP Geoffrey Murphy came in and on a 2-2 count, picked off Miller at third to end the inning and get BC out of the jam.
The Eagles got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Palomaki led off with a double to left and moved to third on Cronin's sac bunt. Strem drove him in with a single to right.
The Blue Devils tied the game in the top of the ninth. Mike Rosenfeld hit a popup to first, which Bigras dropped. Junior LHP Jesse Adams relieved Murphy and got the first out looking before classmate John Nicklas entered the game. He allowed back-to-back base hits to score Rosenfeld to make it a one-run game before striking out pinch hitter Grant McCabe for the second out. Phillips singled to center to score the tying run from second. Nicklas got Koplove looking to end the inning.
Palomaki led off the ninth with a single to the hole in short and Cronin moved him up with his third sac bunt of the game. Strem drew a four-pitch walk to put two on for Shaw. Shaw blasted one over the scoreboard in right field to give the Eagles the win.

OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nicklas (1-0): 0.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Losing Pitcher: Stallings (3-3): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB

TEAM LEADERS
Boston College
Hits: 4, Palomaki (4-for-5, 2B)
Runs: 2, Palomaki, Sciortino
RBIs: 3, Shaw
Strikeouts: 5, King

Duke
Hits:2, Zyla (2-for-4), Phillips (2-for-4), Koplove (2-for-4)
Runs: 1, Rosenfeld, Dougherty, Zyla
RBIs: 2, Phillips
Strikeouts: 4, Istler

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

In the last five games, Shaw has tallied 11 RBIs, 10 hits, including three doubles and three home runs, and seven runs. He has 10 multiple-RBI games this season.
With the second win against the Blue Devils, the Eagles take the series against Duke. This is the fifth time the Eagles won the series against the Blue Devils.
The last time the Eagles walked off was on May 4, 2014 when Shaw hit a walk-off single to defeat Pittsburgh, 3-2. The last time BC tallied a walk-off home run was when Matt Paré hit an 11-inning, two-out solo shot against Miami in Chestnut Hill on April 28, 2013 to win, 1-0.
Aside from a game-opening triple to Andy Perez, who King stranded at third, the Eagles pitching staff did not allow an extra-base hit.
Nicklas has now not allowed an earned run in his last eight appearances - 11.2 innings. He has allowed nine hits, four walks and struck out 11 in that span.
Murphy has now made four appearances, striking out five without allowing an earned run or walk in 7.0 innings of relief work. He has allowed just three hits, all singles.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Blue Devils finish the series on Sunday at noon.